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Mithya – Movie Review

February 13, 2008

Read on for a review without spoilers.

Mithya (meaning Lie) is Rajat Kapoor’s third directorial venture (afterRaghu Romeo and Mixed Doubles). Kapoor by the way has won two national film awards and is also an actor – he played the lead in Bheja Fry.

Kapoor himself wrote the script for Mithya although the screenplay was written by him and Saurabh Shukla. The script of this movie was lying with Kapoor for nine years as he couldn’t find a financier. At the time he had wanted Naseeruddin Shah to play the lead but a decade later Naseeruddin is too old, and plays another character in the film. Kapoor was keen that the popular Saif Ali Khan play the lead in Mithya but Saif wasn’t interested. Saif’s loss is Ranveer Shorey’s gain.

Mithya is a dark film with dark humour. Everyone is saying it’s a comedy, but it certainly isn’t a rip-roaring comedy and it certainly isn’t funny throughout. It’s got funny parts, particularly in the first half, but most of the movie is serious. Actually I hardly found it funny but maybe it’s because I have a different sense of humour!

The story is about VK (Ranvir Shorey), a struggling actor in filmdom. The movie starts off with VK stumbling from one insignificant role to another barely able to pay his bills. Shorey’s acting is amazing. We can easily empathize with VK, a desperate, innocent, lovable, if slightly inept actor. I am not sure whether Shorey is good at comedy though. Wonder if that was why I didn’t find the movie too funny!

We wonder where the story is going, and then…wham! By being in the wrong place at the wrong time VK’s life takes a twist. Unexpected violent events catapult him into another world – a world of guns, terror and death. From then on it’s all action and some of it is hilarious. The movie strongly reminds one of a Bollywood blockbuster but if I tell you which one, you will guess the story. Suffice to say that the subject that Mithya tackles is not all that original but despite that the story has a fresh feel and there are surprises in store. This is a kind of movie you’ll enjoy best if you know as little as possible about it.

Neha Dhupia plays an important role in this film but her acting was very average. I think I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t see this actor on the screen again. Naseerudin Shah slips effortlessly into his role and as for Vinay Pathak, he was brilliant. He shines even in the small role that he has.

All in all, the movie has suspense and plenty of surprises in store. It’s one of those low budget films with a real story and real acting. It’s one of those films which shows the maturing of Bollywood. But no, this doesn’t mean the story is believable or it doesn’t have some strange coincidences! But the performances are subdued, the locales realistic and the story has a realistic end as well. The movie was stretched a little, it could have easily ended 20 minutes earlier (it’s a 100 minute film) but if you want a taste of the new Bollywood, then go for it. It’s not classy mind you, but it’s good.

Interestingly, this movie is a search for one’s identity, well, that is what Kapoor said he was trying to convey and I think he succeeded. The movie has layers and it’s as deep as you want it to be.

But if you are looking for comedy or even a light movie without tension, this movie could be a mistake.

Related

Nita: I think the male lead – if the guy in the main picture is the male lead – is ugly.. That is quite sufficient to put some people off the film I think :-)

PS: Like I watch Bollywood films all the time, don’t I? The ROI and the ROTI are so poor for me that I let them pass. I have a DVD “Black Book”, a Dutch film sitting in my house for 3 weeks and I still have not seen it.. Hmm.

Yeah, he is the male lead and I share your reservations about his looks. If you saw him you would be even less impressed! :) Actually he plays a loser in the film so I guess he could be acceptable. By loser I mean total loser! :)

I saw the movie a couple of nights earlier. As much as I liked the first half unhold, it just couldn’t hold on to the “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro” kind of dark sarcasm on the system. No, it is not a rip off of that magnificient piece of art, but it could have been better.

The protagonist should have been developed better. So could have been the end of it which was very very abrupt (less than 10 minutes for that to unfold). Overall a B- rating out of ABC & +/- ratings. It just couldn’t hold on to the promise it showed a glimpse of in the begining.

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